Najib steps up efforts to win back Selangor

Kuala Selangor (The Star/ANN) - Malaysia's Barisan Nasional chairman Najib Razak has stepped up the coalition's efforts to regain the "frontline state" of Selangor by making several pitstops to meet voters.

He began a full day of campaigning by opening a new block of a Tamil school in Bestari Jaya and later presented keys to the proud owners of a housing project revived by the Federal Government in Bandar Alam Perdana.

The Prime Minister then performed zohor prayers and lunched with the committee members of the Kampung Melayu Batu 16 mosque in Taman Templer before meeting villagers in Kampung Sungai Terentang, Rawang.

Najib pledged to improve basic amenities should Barisan win the Kuala Selangor parliamentary and three state seats.

He said 2,000 affordable homes would be built in the Ijok constituency and a hospital constructed in Puncak Alam, under the Jeram state seat.

"Our promise is also to make Ijok an industrial town like Shah Alam and Port Klang where the people need not move to another place for better job opportunities," he said after opening a new block at SJKT Bestari Jaya here yesterday.

Later, he handed the keys to 2,500 housebuyers for the Bandar Alam Perdana project.

It had been abandoned since 2002 and revived by Syarikat Perumahan Negara Berhad, a fully-owned subsidiary of Ministry of Finance Inc.

"As Finance Minister, I allocated 200 million ringgit (US$66 million) to complete the project," said Najib.

In Rawang, he announced that houses at Bukit Botak would be sold at 70,000 ringgit if Barisan regained Selangor.

Bukit Botak residents were upset that the Pakatan Rakyat state government had increased the price of the houses from 45,000 to 112,000 ringgit.

The Prime Minister also pledged to address the concerns of residents, including finding an alternative alignment for the 400 million ringgit high voltage cables between Rawang and Sentul so that it does not go through Kampung Sungai Terentang.

Najib also gave his commitment that a Tamil school and SMJK Confucian would be built, as well as a police station in Bandar Country Homes.

In Kuantan later, Najib said it was fitting that a portion of Malaysia's wealth be used to strengthen the nation's defence capabilities.

"I will ensure equipment and logistics for the security forces as well as their working environment are enhanced so that our country's sovereignty and security will never be compromised," said Najib at a gathering with army personnel in Batu 10 camp.

*US$1=3.0 ringgit

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